The $200 million caster makes sections of special bar quality (SBQ) steel that measure up to 18 inches x 24 inches, referred to as “jumbo blooms,” which are later rolled into bars and tubes. The first heat from the caster, produced on Oct. 21, 2014, was sold to a customer – a testament not only to the strength of the new technology, but the skill and expertise of the team operating it. The caster has now produced more than 45,000 tons of steel blooms in over 300 heats. It serves several markets, including industrial, energy, bearing, military and heavy machinery.

“The people who constructed this caster and who operate it today have made this plant the most technologically advanced steel-making operation in North America,” says Moline. “TimkenSteel is known for ultra-clean steel that’s used in the world’s most demanding applications. We’re also known for continuously improving our efficiency. Those involved with this project raised the bar once again on both those counts.”

With an ability to cast difficult-to-produce alloy steel grades, Faircrest Steel Plant offers the only combination in the world of a large continuous vertical bloom caster and an in-line forge press. The forge press, coupled with the new vertical caster, expands our capabilities and helps improve sound centers in large-bar sizes, efficiently giving customers more of what they need.
The caster – combined with other assets – enables the broadest size range combination in North America for steel bars and billets, and seamless mechanical tubing.

The jumbo bloom vertical caster marks the capstone to a set of carefully planned, mission-critical investments over the past decade totaling about $500 million.

Contact us today to have us explain how the jumbo bloom vertical caster can help you with your needs

See below for details – and visit the Resource Library page to download a copy of our new caster brochure.

Videos

First Cast Jumbo Bloom Vertical Caster

TimkenSteel Jumbo Bloom Vertical Caster Video

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